D20 Modern: Shadow Tides Rising
by paladin2007
Summary: In modern times, monsters and magic are only dreams. Fairy tails. Or are they? One man discovers that this is untrue. That monsters and magic are real. This is his story. A story of magic, adventure, and danger. My 3rd fic.
1. Default Chapter

D20 Modern: Shadow Tides Rising Chapter 1  
  
Hi everyone out there who took the time to read this. This is my third fic I've put up. I figured this one kind of fit in the Dungeons and Dragons category, and those who play the DnD game should be able to appreciate it so that's why it is where it is. That, and D20 Modern is based off of DnD so it all works. This is more of the Urban Arcana campaign though. Anyways, this should be fun to write and will have a little bit of everything so read on. As long as people review I'll update my story. On with the fic! (This will be a story told from 1st person of a character loosely based on me. He's different from me in that he can cast spells)  
  
Well, I'm just your average guy. Or I was until one day I discovered something. But I'm getting ahead of myself.  
  
My name is Tyler Adams. I'm a 20 year old male (or I was 20 years old when it all started), brown hair, blue eyes, good with computers, not with people. I've always been interested in fantasy. Lord of the Rings, Dungeons and Dragons, what have you. Little did I know one book would turn my world upside-down. On my 20th birthday I went out for some fun with a few of my friends. We ate some food, watched a movie, and then we disbanded.  
  
I saw a little hobby store on the way home so I went inside. There was man running the counter of the run down store. He was maybe 30 years old, and in great shape. "What you got?" I asked.  
  
He smiled. "How about this" he said, pulling out a mammoth tome (in other words, a really big book).  
  
I just cocked an eyebrow. "Um...How about something in my carrying capacity?" I responded.  
  
He laughed and just pushed the tome across the counter in my direction. It wasn't titled, was at least a thousand pages long, and weighed around 15 pounds. It was really big. I flipped to the first page, which had some kind of runes on it. I couldn't make out any of it. Still, I was compelled to buy it. I closed it and asked "How much?"  
  
"Ten dollars" he responded.  
  
I gawked at him. "Ok" I answered. I handed him a ten dollar bill and he put the tome into a thick paper bag. He deposited the ten in an old cash register. I took the bag and left. As I stepped out and walked a few steps down the road I realized I never got a receipt (I like to keep track of that sort of thing) so I turned to find a vacant lot where the store once was. I saw a small green piece of paper lying on the ground. I walked over and picked it up. It was the same ten I handed to the man. I pocketed it and hopped in my car, heading home to contemplate what had just happened. 


	2. Explanations

D20 Modern: Shadow Tides Rising Chapter 2  
  
Hello. Here's Chapter 2.  
  
In the following week after the incident I found myself looking over the book for hours at a time, not leaving my apartment, ignoring calls and letting the answering machine take my calls. I found myself able to read some of the pages. They detailed a thing that could only be magic. I was gaining understanding just by looking through the book. Every symbol I saw I gained knowledge of. I was quickly getting through the book with ridiculous speed.  
  
Finally, I got to the point where I was ready to prepare a spell. On the morning exactly two weeks after my birthday I followed a little ritual from the book. I now had a few basic utility spells prepared. I also had a pair of spells called Magic Missile (go figure) and Mage Armor (I thought it wise as I was never very physically strong or good with combat).  
  
It happened while I was on a subway to my job as a computer program writer. I stepped onto the vacant subway. I walked over to the end of the car when I heard an odd noise from behind me. I spun to find a short man dressed in a trench coat. His face was hidden behind a wide brimmed hat. He drew a knife. "Gimme yer stuff" he said in the dumbest voice I had ever heard. I looked at him. He came up to a little over my waste. Getting mugged by a midget; man, the first day I come out of my apartment in days and this is the thanks I get?! I thought angrily. He was suddenly flanked by a pair of guys dressed like him who were about his height.  
  
"And if I refuse?" I asked cockily. With no one around I knew I could rely on my new found magic powers.  
  
"Then we'll 'ave ta kell ya!" he said, his partners moving forward. I wasn't sure who they were, but if they were willing to kill over pocket change...  
  
I rose my right hand and spoke with all the force I could muster "Get away from me or you'll regret it." Nothing like a field test right? They continued toward me, laughing in a rather high pitched voice. I spoke the finishing phrase and did the hand motions for a Lightning Ball cantrip (a cantrip is a basic spell. They are usually only good for utility but I was saving my other spells for later). There was a small light that grew from the end of my hand and rocketed at the one on the left. He was shocked rather badly and knocked to the floor, his hat falling from his head. It revealed a gruesome face that not even a mother could love. "Goblins?" I thought aloud.  
  
"Huh?!" the one on the right yelled.  
  
"He's a mage! Let's get out o' here!" yelled the one in the middle, grabbing his fallen companion. All three took off out the door and I ran after them. They ran around the corner of the wall. I ran around it, finding that the goblins had disappeared. I stood there, confused. What were goblins doing in the modern world? I thought. And how had they disappeared? It didn't make sense; not that me being able to cast spells did either. I turned to the Subway, pondering what had just happened. I turned just in time to see the end off the subway disappear at the end of the tunnel. "Great" I muttered.  
  
Then I remembered something. June Owens, one of my friends that came to my party a few weeks back, lived just a few blocks away. I ran down the blocks, closing the distance between me and her apartment, hoping she hadn't left for her nursing job. I finally reached her apartment and went in, taking the elevator to the fourth floor. I glanced down at my watch. I was going to be late, and if she was still here she would be late too. I ran down the hall and knocked on the door to her apartment, cursing myself for choosing to take the subway today. I heard a voice from inside.  
  
"Just a minute" came the feminine voice. I heard the doorknob click and the bolt was still in place. A face peaked out from between the door and the wall. It was June. I waved weakly. She slammed it, unbolted the door, and flung it back open.  
  
"Where were you?!" she exclaimed.  
  
"I..." I barely got out before being cut off by her.  
  
"We called, we came over, where were you?" she repeated.  
  
"Like I was trying to say, I was home."  
  
"You were where!?" she yelled. "We even all came over and you don't come to the door?!" She was extremely angry.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Calm down."  
  
"Calm down?!" she said yelling again. "You disappear for two whole weeks and you tell me to calm down?! I was worried that you were dead or something!"  
  
I cocked an eyebrow and said "You were worried about me?"  
  
She blushed slightly, barely noticeably, and then spoke without yelling "Of course I was."  
  
I smiled and then said "So, the reason I dropped by was that I missed my subway and need a ride to the office."  
  
"That's why you dropped by?!" she yelled again.  
  
"Shh." I said, covering her mouth. "I'll explain on the way. And if I'm not mistaken, your late for work, aren't you?"  
  
Her eyes went wide suddenly as she gasped. "I'm late! I forgot!" She pushed by me, locking her door and grabbing my wrist, headed for the elevator. I followed silently, her dragging me down to the parking lot and into the passenger side of her car. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't anything spectacular either. She buckled up, me following, and before I knew it we were off to my office. "You were going to tell me why you disappeared?" she asked irritably. She definitely wasn't late very often.  
  
"Yes, but you wouldn't believe me if I told you" I said seriously.  
  
"Try me" she said angrily.  
  
I sighed. "Well, it started on my birthday..." 


	3. The Plan

D20 Modern: Shadow Tides Rising Chapter 3  
  
Hiya. Here's Chapter 3. Oh, I forgot. Here's a disclaimer. I don't own the Wizards of the Coast company which owns D20 Modern and numerous other things, and some of the events I plan on putting up have already been thought up by Wizards and are actually in the D20 Modern book so just so you know, and please don't sue me Wizards. I do, however, own my characters that I invented, including Tyler and June. That said, on with this fic.  
  
June gawked at me. I had just finished the part about what had happened today. "Told you" I said. I hadn't left out a single detail; the book, the magic, and the goblins. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She pulled up in front of my office.  
  
She finally spoke. "Um...Should I pick you up after work?"  
  
"That's all right" I said, smiling. "I can take the subway back. I'll call you when I get home. See you later!"  
  
She stared as I got out of the car. She looked like she wanted to call a psychiatrist. I just smiled back. "You ok?" she asked, genuine worry in her eyes.  
  
"You think I'm crazy, right? I'm fine. You're late enough as is. Get going!" I answered, still smiling.  
  
"If you say so" she said. Suddenly the word "late" hit her. "Oh my gosh! I've got to go! If you don't call me I'll kill you! See you later!" She backed out after I shut the door and drove off. I smiled inwardly and walked in to the office. This was going to be a long day.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
I walked out of the office. A flirtatious colleague wouldn't leave me alone, everyone wanted to know where I was, and I barely got an ounce of work done. I rode the subway back to my house and decided I would catch up on my calls and such after I called June. Speaking of her I thought. She had been really worried about me. I wonder? Maybe I'll go somewhere tomorrow with my friends; or just her. I shook my head. What am I thinking? I've got to go.  
  
I walked over to the phone and stopped. I was about to pick up the phone but the book caught my eye. I starred at it for a second, and then felt compelled to read it. I ran over and pulled the book open and began to read. I read for about an hour, getting through a few pages before I hit a point that I couldn't read anymore. I started paging through. Any other pages after that last one I couldn't read. I closed the book and suddenly realized that I had promised to call June.  
  
I jumped up and ran over to the phone. As I went to pick it up it rang. I stopped and just starred at it. One ring; two rings; three rings. I picked up the phone and heard June on the other. She wasn't happy. "Tyler!" I heard from the phone. I was holding it away from my head, but even still it was painfully loud. "You didn't call!"  
  
"I can explain!" I interrupted, staying well away from the earpiece. She was silent for a second. I carefully put the earpiece to my ear, only to have my eardrum broken.  
  
"I'm waiting!" she yelled. I think I felt my ear bleeding. For a good- natured nurse she can definitely yell I thought. I carefully put the earpiece up again, ready to pull it away, and told her what had happened. Actually, I stretched the truth a little.  
  
"There was a lot of traffic and it took me longer than I thought to get home" I said, trying to sound truthful.  
  
"You took the subway" she reminded me.  
  
"What I meant was the subway was busy and I couldn't ride until the next subway."  
  
"You ride the least busy subway in the city. You ride it so things like that don't happen" she reminded again. I broke down instantly against the overwhelming odds that were June.  
  
"All right, I was busy at home"  
  
"Doing what?" she asked, a tinge of irritation in her voice. Under that I thought I heard worry.  
  
I paused then answered sheepishly "Reading a book."  
  
"Reading a book?" she asked, more irritated than worried now. In fact, the worry in her voice was gone. She was now mad.  
  
"You promised you'd call and you don't? And it was over a book?!"  
  
"Not just a book, I explained this morn..." I began before she cut me off.  
  
"You must be joking!? You think I believed that?! You must think I'm crazy...or stupid?!"  
  
"I was telling the truth!" I yelled back. I have always had this problem of getting mad when people call me a liar when I'm not (not that I haven't lied before). She went silent for a minute.  
  
She began to laugh a little; then a lot. She tried to speak between breaths "S-Sorry, I c-can't h-help it!" I sat there confused.  
  
"What's so funny?" I asked, irritation showing into my voice. She started laughing a little less and then stopped.  
  
"Sorry, I just think it's so funny when you get mad!" she said, still quite amused at my apparent anger. I still sat there, thinking of what she had said. She thought I was funny? And again, why do I care?! While I was pondering this she spoke again. "So, if this is real, can I see it?" I was surprised.  
  
"I guess so. When can you come over?"  
  
"How about tomorrow after work?" she volunteered.  
  
"I guess that would be fine" I said. I get to be alone with June. But why do I care?! "Great, because I've all ready told everyone else and if you don't mind they'll be over along with me tomorrow!" Never mind, I wouldn't be alone with June; dang it. But why do I care?  
  
"Great" I said, a little overly dull. She sounded surprised on the other end. "Sorry" I said cheerfully. "I didn't mean to sound glum there. Can't wait until tomorrow!" She laughed again.  
  
"Bye" she said, still laughing. I hung up the phone. I was still smiling and walked over to the answering machine and pressed the "New messages" button. A mono-toned male voice came through. "You have forty-three new messages. Message one..." I sighed. This is going to take awhile.  
  
That's done. So, how was it? Review and tell me please. I plan on doing a lot more so as long as I get two reviews I'll keep updating. See ya! (Much more action planned in the future, and even some romance and mystery, though I'm not great at writing either). 


End file.
